NEW YORK & TOKYO--()--Moelis & Company (CEO: Ken Moelis), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (“SMBC” hereunder, President & CEO: Takeshi Kunibe), and SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. (“SMBC Nikko” hereunder, President & CEO: Eiji Watanabe), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SMBC, announced today that they have signed an agreement (the “Strategic Alliance Agreement”) to strengthen their existing business alliance and for SMBC to invest approximately USD93 million in Moelis & Company. Under the terms of the Strategic Alliance Agreement, Moelis & Company, SMBC and SMBC Nikko (the “Firms”) will enhance the successful alliance they initially formed in March 2011 focused on providing cross-border M&A and other advisory services to Japanese companies. The new alliance will remain non-exclusive and the Firms expect to complete the investment in mid-February, subject to certain procedures including respective regulatory processes.
Since establishing their alliance in March 2011, the Firms have formed a strong partnership and provided connectivity to one another and to clients across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Hong Kong, and Japan. Through this process, the Firms have deepened mutual trust and extended their global coverage. With the prospect of growing cross-border M&A activity by Japanese companies, the Firms believe there is a meaningful opportunity to collaborate even more intensively to serve their clients’ needs.
＜About Moelis & Company＞
Moelis & Company, recently named Most Innovative Boutique of the Year by The Banker for 2011 and in 2010 and Best Global Independent Investment Bank by Euromoney in 2010, is a global investment bank that provides financial advisory, capital raising and asset management services to a broad client base including corporations, institutions and governments. With more than 580 employees, Moelis & Company serves its clients through offices in New York, Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Dubai, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, and Sydney.
＜About Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation＞
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), the core member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG), is one of the world’s largest commercial banks with JPY128 trillion in consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2011. As one of the three largest banking groups in Japan, SMBC operates globally through an extensive network of branches, representative offices, subsidiaries and affiliates, and has an established presence across both consumer and corporate banking sectors.
SMBC acquired SMBC Nikko Securities, formerly Nikko Cordial Securities, in 2009, and they have been working closely together to deliver sophisticated financial products and services to accommodate the growing and diversifying needs of their clients.
＜About SMBC Nikko Securities Inc.＞
SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., one of the largest full-service securities and investment banking firms in Japan, has been a leading company in the Japanese financial industry since its foundation in July 1918. Nikko became a subsidiary of SMBC in October 2009 and has since focused on enhancing its business platform by taking advantage of its unparalleled access to Japanese companies leveraged by SMBC’s strong client base with a continued dedication to providing value-added investment banking services to its clients. SMBC Nikko has overseas offices in New York, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50136429&lang=en